NBA player Gordan Hayward suffers gruesome injury during NBA opener

Vids
18/10/2017

The opening game of the NBA season has been overshadowed by a gruesome injury to Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward.

The marquee new recruit leaped to try to catch an alley-oop pass in the first quarter of their contest against the Cleveland Cavaliers and came down at an awkward angle, forcing his ankle to snap in a painfully grotesque manner.

The incident sent an eerie silence across the packed arena, fans and players from both sides overwhelmed by what they'd just witnessed.

A handful of Hayward's teammates came together in a circle to pray as the 27-year-old was stretchered from the court and into the locker room before being transported to hospital for further examination.

The early diagnosis from team medical staff is a fractured ankle.

It's a cruel blow to the hopes of the Celtics after the much-heralded off-season acqusitions of Hayward and fellow All Star Kyrie Irving.